On Saturday, a man threw several firebombs into the headquarters of Japan’s ruling party in Tokyo and subsequently crashed his car into the fencing of the prime minister's residence, according to Tokyo police. Fortunately, there were no reports of injuries resulting from the incident.
The man, identified as a 49-year-old named Atsunobu Usuda, was arrested on the spot on charges of obstructing the performance of official duties. While the motive behind the attack remains unclear, reports suggest that Usuda may have had political ambitions, as indicated by his social media posts complaining about the financial requirements for running for office in Japan.
Media sources also mentioned that Usuda had participated in protests against nuclear plants, although he was not available for immediate comment following the incident.
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party has been facing public discontent due to a money scandal involving questionable funding and suspected tax evasion. The party refrained from commenting on the attack, directing all inquiries to the police.
With lower house parliamentary elections scheduled for October 27, some tarnished politicians who lost official party backing are running as independents. The Liberal Democrats recently appointed a new leader, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, in an attempt to revamp their image. However, opinion polls indicate a decline in the party's popularity, raising questions about their majority hold in the upcoming election amidst a fragmented opposition.
Notably, heckling of candidates, a rare occurrence in Japanese culture, has been reported during the campaign period.
The Liberal Democratic Party has been a dominant force in Japanese politics for decades, credited with steering the country to economic prosperity following World War II. The party's history includes the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022, during a campaign event. The assailant, motivated by personal grievances related to family finances and alleged ties to the Unification Church, targeted Abe with a handmade firearm.
